City Council Ordinance number 98-15 requires all alarm users to obtain a valid alarm permit from the City Alarm Coordinator prior to using or operating an alarm system. The alarm permit is issued free of charge. The application for the alarm permit can be acquired at:

Alarm users operating a system without the required permit will receive a written warning to comply with the ordinance within thirty days. Thereafter, false alarms occurring at a location without a valid alarm permit will be fined $300.00 per false alarm for commercial locations and $200.00 per false alarm for residential locations.

In an effort to reduce the number of false alarms responded to by the Irvine Police Department, a sliding fee scale for false alarms was enacted in October 1999. The schedule is as follows:

Description

Fees

False Alarm #1

No Fee

False Alarm #2

No Fee

False Alarm #3

No Fee

False Alarm #4

$100.00 Commercial
$50.00 Residential

False Alarm #5

$150.00 Commercial
$75.00 Residential

False Alarm #6

$200.00 Commercial
$100.00 Residential

False Alarm #7 or more

Put on *NO RESPONSE List And
$300.00 Commercial
$200.00 Residential

False Alarm while permit revocation on appeal

$300.00 Commercial
$200.00 Residential

False Alarm without permit

$300.00 Commercial
$200.00 Residential

*The Irvine Police Department will continue to respond to all Panic and Robbery silent alarms even when the alarmed location has been placed on No Response. The alarm user will be billed the maximum amount per false alarm.

Alarm users are invited to attend a False Alarm User Awareness Class to obtain a credit voucher for the fourth false alarm fee every year. Users must attend the first available class after the false alarm. Users are still responsible for paying all applicable alarm fees incurred after the class and those occurring while waiting for a class. To register for the classes, please call the Alarm Coordinator at (949) 724-6467.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW AS AN ALARM SUBSCRIBER:

You will incur a fine if your alarm system generates more than three police responses in a consecutive 365-day period. For this reason, the following suggestions will help you to keep false alarms to a minimum:

Before you activate your alarm system:

Be sure you know how to use your system. Your alarm company should demonstrate this after installation. Make sure to ask lots of questions.

Secure all doors and windows.

All pets should be properly contained.

Turn off any unnecessary electrical appliances, heaters, air conditioners, or fans.

Make sure your monitoring station knows how to reach you or someone responsible in case of emergency, especially if you are out of town.

Verify that your system is ready to activate. Most systems have an indicator light.

After activating the system, leave within the specified time period.

If you must return to the alarmed location, turn the system off immediately even if you just activated the system.

What to do if you accidentally activate the alarm:

Immediately turn the system off.

Use your abort code if you have one.

If your central station verifies alarms, wait for the call. Do not attempt to call them (unless your alarm company specifically instructs you to do so).

Know your password-the central station will need it to verify the alarm.

Make sure anyone with access to your home or business knows the system code and password, and is instructed in operating the alarm.

Have the telephone number of your central station or alarm company handy.

If you have any questions about your alarm system, please contact your alarm company.